War and Gender Inequalities in Health: The Impact of Armed Conflict on Fertility and Maternal Mortality

Urdal, Henrik; Che, Primus

doi:10.1080/03050629.2013.805133

Cited by 107 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…The experience and understanding about the cost of fertility are fundamentally different; they contended ‘that high fertility does not carry economic penalties, while the foreigner's experience has been very different’. Furthermore, historically, they argued that the demographic reaction in the period following chronic conflict and insecurity involving large-scale social disruption and human loss, is a rise in fertility (31); this thesis has been well established over the last two decades (32, 33). This is likely to be so for South Sudan as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This could be a reflection of their acceptance of the situation as the normal state of affairs and taking it for granted, or it might reflect the relative security that WBeG has enjoyed. That said, evidence from conflict studies shows that chronic insecurity and conflict undermine women's agency in all social realms, including the reproductive realm (33); that it affects women's health disproportionately (24, 25); and that it does so through further entrenchment of hegemonic patriarchy. The absence of social order and rule of law in WBeG and, in South Sudan at large, the result of chronic insecurity and conflict are key drivers of exaggeration of the inequalities in social and economic relations in Fertit society.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender relations and women's reproductive health in South Sudan

Kane

Rial

Matere

et al. 2016

Global Health Action

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BackgroundIn South Sudan, women disproportionately bear the burden of morbidity and mortality related to sexual and reproductive health, with a maternal mortality ratio of 789 deaths per 100,000 live births.DesignA qualitative study was conducted to analyze how gendered social relations among the Fertit people affect women's ability to exercise control over their reproductive lives and thereby their sexual and reproductive health. Transcripts of 5 focus group discussions and 44 semi-structured interviews conducted with purposefully selected community members and health personnel were analyzed using Connell's relational theory of gender.ResultsWomen across all age groups report that they have little choice but to meet the childbearing demands of husbands and their families. Women, both young and old, and also elders, are frustrated about how men and society are letting them down and how they are left to bear the reproductive burden. The poverty and chronic insecurity in South Sudan mean that many men have few sources of pride and achievement; conformity and complicity with the hegemonic practices accord both security and a sense of belonging and privilege to men, often at the expense of women's reproductive health.ConclusionsInequalities in the domestic, social, and economic spheres intersect to create social situations wherein Fertit women's agency in the reproductive realm is constrained. In South Sudan, as long as economic and social opportunities for women remain restricted, and as long as insecurity and uncertainty remain, many women will have little choice but to resort to having many children to safeguard their fragile present and future. Unless structural measures are taken to address these inequalities, there is a risk of both a widening of existing health inequalities and the emergence of new inequalities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender relations and women's reproductive health in South Sudan

Kane

Rial

Matere

et al. 2016

Global Health Action

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show abstract

“…50 Conflict and the post-conflict recovery period are marked by increased fertility and MMRs. 51 In one analysis, sub-Saharan African nations experiencing recent armed conflict had MMRs that were 45% higher than did those countries without recent conflict. 52 …”

Section: External Shocksmentioning

confidence: 98%

Next generation maternal health: external shocks and health-system innovations

et al. 2016

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In this Series we document the substantial progress in the reduction of maternal mortality and discuss the current state of science in reducing maternal mortality. However, maternal health is also powerfully influenced by the structures and resources of societies, communities, and health systems. We discuss the shocks from outside of the field of maternal health that will influence maternal survival including economic growth in low-income and middle-income countries, urbanisation, and health crises due to disease outbreaks, extreme weather, and conflict. Policy and technological innovations, such as universal health coverage, behavioural economics, mobile health, and the data revolution, are changing health systems and ushering in new approaches to affect the health of mothers. Research and policy will need to reflect the changing maternal health landscape.

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“…8 And, to exacerbate the problem, sexual health services are generally non-functioning, preventing access to contraception, safe abortion, and treatment for sexually transmitted disease. 9 The cumulative effects of these problems can be devastating for women in war zones-and in turn take their toll on their children, families, and communities.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%